Around Baseball: End-of-season awards for Indians

Saturday

Sep 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 27, 2008 at 11:57 AM

The end of the Indians season calls for some grandiose awards recognizing the ups and downs in a disappointing 2008. Kind of like an Oscar or a Grammy, minus the plastic surgery, entourages and drug rehab programs.

Josh Weir

The end of the Indians season calls for some grandiose awards recognizing the ups and downs in a disappointing 2008. Kind of like an Oscar or a Grammy, minus the plastic surgery, entourages and drug rehab programs.

We could call it the “Espy” in honor of former Tribe utility man Alvaro Espinoza. But ESPN might not think too highly of that. Maybe the “Archie” would work, keeping in mind former center fielder and current TV color analyst Rick Manning. But that doesn’t feel right.

We’re going to go with the “Grover” in honor 2008 Indians Hall of Fame inductee Mike Hargrove. He managed the team to five straight postseason appearances and somehow coexisted with Albert Belle, so this is the least we could do for him.

Without further ado, here are the 2008 Grover Awards. Please hold your applause to the end.

The You Da Man Grover

Winner: Cliff Lee

The guy lost one game in the span of 127 days this season. Lee’s season is remarkable on the surface, but it’s downright stunning when you consider what happened in 2007 (5-8, 6.29 ERA, left off postseason roster). He’ll likely have to make room next to his Grover for the AL Cy Young award.

The Résumé Grover

Winner: Carl Willis

The Tribe’s pitching coach has his answer for any future job interview: Team A: “So Carl, why should we hire you?”

Willis: “I coached two straight Cy Youngs.”

Team A: “When can you start?”

The Old Faithful Grover

Winner: Grady Sizemore

In a season where almost nothing was predictable, Sizemore offered the Indians a rare source of consistency. No. 24 was at the top of the order and in center field just about every day, giving the team another All-Star season and potentially a second straight Gold Glove. He became the first Indian to ever total at least 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 30 doubles in a single season. His seven leadoff home runs this year are a club record.

These four were at their worst when the Indians needed them most in April, May and June. Cabrera was batting .184 when he was demoted to the minors June 9. During a 43-game stretch, Garko had a total of three extra-base hits, including two in all of June. Peralta batted .222 with 25 RBIs through the first 2 1/2 months. Gutierrez didn’t get a hit from June 15 to July 8.

The Biggest Surprise Grover (In a good way)

Winner: Shin-Soo Choo

Choo was a forgotten man at the beginning of 2008 as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery. Now he’s the leading candidate for one of the corner outfield spots. Entering the weekend, his OPS (on-base plus slugging average) was the second highest in the American during the second half of the season. He also has the best arm on the team, which is saying something since Ben Francisco is also in the outfield. Apologies to Kelly Shoppach and Jamey Carroll. Shoppach proved he can be an everyday catcher while Carroll showed himself to be a valuable utility man.

The Biggest Surprise Grover (In a bad way)

Winner: Rafael Betancourt

The good news: Betancourt righted himself enough in the second half that he can be expected to make a positive contribution in 2009. The bad news: Betancourt played a significant part in Cleveland’s first-half nose dive that ruined this season. Arguably the best set-up man in baseball in 2007, Betancourt’s 2008 was simply awful.

The Carpe Diem Grover

Winners: Anthony Reyes and Scott Lewis

Reyes came to Cleveland from St. Louis as a once-promising pitching prospect whose star had fallen. Now a 2009 rotation spot is probably his to lose. His 1.83 ERA in six starts opened plenty of eyes before an aggravated elbow ended his season prematurely. Speaking of opened eyes, Lewis has put himself in the rotation conversation. Reyes’ elbow problem gave the Ohio State product a chance to pitch. Lewis responded with 15 scoreless innings to start his career. Apologies to Ben Francisco, who was forced into the middle of the order because of injuries and performed admirably.

The Happy Trails Grover

Winner: Andy Marte

Hope he enjoyed his stay in Cleveland.

The Sputtering Grover

Winner: Fausto Carmona

Carmona hasn’t been able to make up for lost time. The big Dominican never got back his feel after spending two months on the DL with a left hip sprain. His 2007 form (19-8, 3.06 ERA) would be welcomed by the Tribe in 2009.

The Repository

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Daily Review Atlas ~ 400 South Main Street, Monmouth, IL 61462 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service